章節 27: Chapter 27: The Response from the Eastern Daily
With the arrival of the new day, the entire Hong Kong newspaper industry exploded when the "Jiuding Daily" announced the previous day's sales figures. Not only the newspaper industry, but people from the entertainment world, business sector, and political circles were also closely watching.
Newspapers are powerful tools for publicity, and the rise of the "Jiuding Daily" signified the emergence of a new publication with substantial influence and authority. It was impossible not to attract attention.
People in the entertainment industry were concerned because the "Jiuding Daily" could affect their reputation and interests. If the "Jiuding Daily" published negative opinions about them or their work, it could have a significant impact. Conversely, positive coverage could greatly benefit them.
Similarly, those in business and politics were paying close attention to the "Jiuding Daily" due to related interests. Given the current situation, it was uncertain how high the "Jiuding Daily's" sales ceiling could go. Surpassing the "Eastern Daily" to become the number one newspaper in Hong Kong was not out of the question, especially since the "Jiuding Daily" covered both grassroots and elite circles, making its influence considerable.
Smart people never underestimate the power of public opinion!
At this moment, in the conference room of the "Eastern Daily," a circle of people sat around the table, all with their heads down, afraid to make a sound, lest they incur the wrath of their boss, who sat at the head of the table with a grim expression.
Ma Chengkun, the eldest son of the Ma family, managed the "Eastern Daily," which served as a media mouthpiece for the family.
He had devoted himself to developing this newspaper, employing many unscrupulous methods along the way. All of this was to create a powerful shield for the Ma family, to deter the Hong Kong government, and to better protect the Ma family.
Over the years, the "Eastern Daily" had finally reached the pinnacle of Hong Kong's newspaper industry, becoming the top daily with growing influence.
But suddenly, the situation changed. A few days ago, an insignificant third-rate tabloid was acquired and swiftly transformed into a formidable player, rapidly impacting the Hong Kong newspaper market.
In just a few days, its distribution reached 200,000 copies, with sales through newsstands hitting 120,000 copies, significantly impacting the "Eastern Daily."
The "Eastern Daily" had already been facing competition from the "Sing Tao Daily," which coveted its top spot. Now, the "Jiuding Daily" emerged as an even greater threat.
The "Jiuding Daily" posed a bigger threat not only because of its rapid advance threatening the "Eastern Daily's" dominance but also because its coverage was broader, overlapping significantly with the "Eastern Daily's" audience. As a result, the "Eastern Daily" experienced a rare decline in daily sales.
The first day showed only a slight decline of around 2,000 copies, but the second day was alarming.
According to last night's statistics, the "Eastern Daily's" sales had dropped to 163,000 copies, a decrease of 5,000 copies compared to the previous day, and a total drop of 7,000 copies over the past few days.
Although Ma Chengkun wasn't sure if the "Sing Tao Daily" was similarly affected, he guessed the impact on it was less severe than on the "Eastern Daily," due to the minimal overlap between their audiences and the "Sing Tao Daily's" extensive sales channels across Southeast Asia.
The lesser impact on the "Sing Tao Daily" meant that the gap between it and the "Eastern Daily" was narrowing unexpectedly. If no measures were taken, the "Sing Tao Daily" might soon overtake the "Eastern Daily."
There was even a chance that the fledgling "Jiuding Daily" could seize the top spot!
Ma Chengkun was adamant that he could not let such a scenario unfold. He had to find a solution to the problem. Remaining passive would only result in losing the dominant position. He was determined not to resign himself to such a fate.
Thus, he gathered all the key personnel of the "Eastern Daily" early in the morning to discuss and analyze the issue, hoping to resolve the current crisis.
"Bang!" Seeing everyone in silence and the atmosphere being extremely tense, Ma Chengkun slammed the table, causing a loud noise that startled everyone. They straightened up and focused their attention.
"Tell me your thoughts. Why has the 'Jiuding Daily' risen so quickly and caused such a significant impact on our newspaper?" Ma Chengkun asked with a stern face, surveying the nervous employees around him.
Hearing Ma Chengkun's question, everyone avoided his gaze, lowering their heads and looking around at their colleagues, hoping someone would speak up.
"What's going on? Are you all mute at a crucial time? Speak up!" After waiting a few minutes with no one speaking, Ma Chengkun, increasingly frustrated, shouted with his brows furrowed and his voice filled with anger.
As a member of a notorious family, having grown up in an environment with ruthless figures or desperate individuals, Ma Chengkun's demeanor was naturally fierce. His anger was particularly intimidating.
"Li Nan, you explain. What's the situation with the 'Jiuding Daily'?" Ma Chengkun directly pointed to Li Nan, the head of the news department.
"Boss, the 'Jiuding Daily' has risen too quickly, and I haven't had enough time to fully understand it. However, based on what I know, the rise of the 'Jiuding Daily' can be attributed to four factors," Li Nan said.
"First, its marketing strategy is powerful. Not only did they offer free newspapers to users, but they also provided free newspapers to newsstand owners for seven days, which motivated the owners to promote the 'Jiuding Daily'."
"Second, the financial and business content of the 'Jiuding Daily' is high-quality. The writer, Xia Yu, exposed the flaws in Mingheng Industries on the first day and recommended a stock that skyrocketed the next day. This caused a stir and greatly enhanced the 'Jiuding Daily's' reputation, particularly among investors."
"The third reason is the high quality of other content, especially the novel section. 'Searching for Qin' has received a great response, with many readers buying the 'Jiuding Daily' just to read the novel."
"The last factor is the distinct layout design of the 'Jiuding Daily,' which is noticeably different from the mainstream designs in Hong Kong's newspapers. I'm not sure if this has any impact."
"The 'Jiuding Daily' has taken advantage of both timing and public sentiment."
After listening to Li Nan's analysis, Ma Chengkun furrowed his brow. The first and fourth reasons were beyond his control, and he couldn't blindly follow changes.
However, the other two reasons were related to content and could potentially be addressed. He thought for a moment and said, "Then let's target their strengths. We need to poach the writers of the financial and business articles and 'Searching for Qin' from the 'Jiuding Daily' to eliminate their advantages!"
Upon hearing Ma Chengkun's suggestion, Li Nan's mouth moved several times, struggling to respond. Seeing the boss glare at him, indicating he should speak up, Li Nan braced himself and said, "Boss, that plan might not work because the writers of the financial and business articles and 'Searching for Qin' are the same person—Xia Yu, who is also the current boss of the 'Jiuding Daily.'"
Ma Chengkun's expression froze, his face twitching with embarrassment and astonishment. He took a deep breath to hide his internal discomfort and uncertainty about what to say next.
Since the content creators were Xia Yu, bringing him over was impossible. Was there really nothing to be done about the 'Jiuding Daily'? Would they have to watch it gradually threaten the 'Eastern Daily's' dominance and impact its sales?
The success of the 'Jiuding Daily' was due to Xia Yu. Should they try to get rid of Xia Yu? The thought crossed Ma Chengkun's mind, but he immediately dismissed it. Eliminating Xia Yu would be disastrous for both the 'Eastern Daily' and the Ma family.
It would cause panic throughout the Hong Kong media industry. The Ma family already had a poor reputation, and if the media industry perceived it as a threat, it could lead to a united attack, and the Ma family could be targeted by the Hong Kong government. This would be catastrophic.
He had received notification from the family that the Hong Kong government was closely monitoring the Ma family and might take action, urging the family to stay low-key and vigilant.
Otherwise, under normal circumstances, Ma Chengkun might resort to unscrupulous methods when cornered. But this time, he had to keep his hands tied.
Thus, dealing with the 'Jiuding Daily' or preserving the 'Eastern Daily's' dominant position required relying on legitimate methods. But how could they counter a publication that had the advantage of timing and public sentiment?
Could they only hope that the 'Jiuding Daily' would make a mistake? But how long would that take? They might miss the opportunity!
Ma Chengkun furrowed his brows deeply, feeling overwhelmed.
"Think of any solutions to the current predicament," Ma Chengkun said to his subordinates.
After waiting a long time, seeing the troubled expressions of his subordinates deep in thought, he grew frustrated and said, "You have one day. Submit your analysis and solutions tomorrow. Meeting adjourned!"
With that, Ma Chengkun left, leaving behind a group of worried middle and senior managers.
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